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KOLKATA: Thousands of fans braved the December chill and waited past midnight successful Kolkata to invited Argentine shot superstar Lionel Messi, arsenic helium arrived successful the metropolis during the aboriginal hours of Saturday arsenic portion of his three-day, four-city GOAT India Tour 2025. Messi’s formation touched down astatine 2.26am, triggering scenes of jubilation astatine the planetary arrivals terminal. Gate 4 rapidly filled with chanting supporters waving Argentina flags, filming connected their phones and sprinting betwixt entrances successful the anticipation of catching adjacent a fleeting glimpse of the shot icon. Children were lifted onto shoulders, drums echoed done the terminal and chants of “Messi! Messi!” rang retired arsenic the footballer was escorted done a VIP exit nether dense security. A convoy past took him to his hotel, wherever different assemblage had gathered and waited done the night.
Police barricades, a ample information deployment and continuous cheering marked what galore fans described arsenic a citywide eruption of “Messi mania”. Messi arrived alongside long-time onslaught spouse Luis Suárez and Argentina teammate Rodrigo De Paul. Over the adjacent 72 hours, helium is scheduled to question to Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Delhi, wherever helium volition conscionable main ministers, concern leaders, movie celebrities and Prime Minister Narendra Modi connected Monday.
A sleepless wait
For galore supporters who had stayed awake done the night, the hold ended successful disappointment. Tight information arrangements meant Messi was taken straight from the airdrome to his edifice astir 3.30am done a backmost entrance, denying hundreds of fans immoderate show of him. Only a fistful of airdrome unit managed a little glimpse arsenic helium stepped disconnected a backstage Gulfstream V aircraft, dressed successful a achromatic suit implicit a achromatic T-shirt, earlier being driven distant from the tarmac. Scenes astatine the Hyatt Regency edifice aboriginal turned chaotic arsenic fans ran done corridors shouting “Messi! Messi!”, their voices echoing into the aboriginal greeting hours.
The lobby took connected the ambiance of an Argentine supporters’ club, with sky-blue jerseys, scarves and flags connected display. Mothers breastfed infants, children ran done the abstraction and exhausted fans collapsed onto sofas arsenic anticipation mounted. Messi checked into Room 730, with the full seventh level sealed disconnected to restrict question astir his suite.
Some fans who could spend it booked rooms successful the edifice successful the anticipation of staying adjacent to their idol. One household from New Alipore checked successful a time aboriginal truthful their son, Krish Gupta, would not miss the infinitesimal — adjacent though helium supports Messi’s large rival. “I’m a die-hard Ronaldo fan, truthful what? His biggest rival is coming to my metropolis and I cannot miss the moment. So we planned to enactment successful the edifice a time successful advance,” said Krish, a Class 9 pupil of Birla High School. He wandered done the hotel’s java store with his parent and elder sister, hoping for a glimpse. “I conscionable privation to archer him to play shot with me. And if I’m not successful, I volition spell to the gym time greeting to drawback a glimpse of him. I person my autograph publication acceptable and hopefully I volition get a selfie.”
‘A historical moment’
Satadru Dutta, the sole promoter of the tour, who received Messi astatine the airport, described the sojourn arsenic a landmark lawsuit for the city. “In 2011, helium had travel aft becoming the captain, but present helium is coming aft winning the World Cup and his eighth Ballon d’Or. So, this is truly special. I don’t deliberation helium volition travel again, truthful it’s astir celebration,” helium said. Dutta added that Messi’s beingness could assistance energise Indian football. “Never ever person truthful galore sponsors travel unneurotic for a shot star. You tin accidental this is for Messi, but adjacent if 10 per cent of that wealth comes to the improvement of Indian football, it would beryllium precise big.
This statue that has travel up and volition beryllium unveiled successful the greeting is besides the first-of-its-kind successful the world. Messi is acceptable to permission a bequest down this time.” Security was tightened crossed Kolkata up of the tour, with constabulary stationed astatine large intersections, sniffer dogs deployed to cheque vehicles and heightened surveillance astir the hotel. Inside, unit prepared themed decorations, including 2 ample three-tier fondant cakes successful Christmas colours. Outside the airdrome and aboriginal adjacent the hotel, crowds continued to stitchery contempt the cold, waving flags, wearing Argentina jerseys and chanting Messi’s name. Some fans arrived successful wigs and afloat Argentine colours, portion thoroughfare vendors sold scarves and No 10 shirts extracurricular the Hyatt Regency. “This is simply a beingness opportunity. We volition not slumber contiguous and volition caput consecutive to the stadium successful the morning. Today is solemnisation day,” 1 instrumentality said.
A packed schedule
Messi’s Kolkata limb begins connected Saturday with a sponsors’ meet-and-greet, followed by a tribute programme astatine Salt Lake Stadium featuring music, creation and an accumulation lucifer betwixt Mohun Bagan ‘Messi’ All Stars and Diamond Harbour ‘Messi’ All Stars. He is scheduled to get astatine the stadium astatine 10.50am, interact with some teams, felicitate Bengal’s Santosh Trophy-winning broadside and behaviour a “Master Class with Messi” for children. Suárez, De Paul and histrion Shah Rukh Khan are acceptable to attend, on with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and different dignitaries. Messi volition past instrumentality a thigh of honour earlier virtually unveiling a 70-foot statue of himself astatine Lake Town. He departs for Hyderabad astatine 2.05pm for an evening programme astatine the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium, which includes a abbreviated accumulation match, a little quality by Telangana Chief Minister
Revanth Reddy
, a shot session and a felicitation ceremony. The circuit past moves to Mumbai for an lawsuit astatine the Wankhede Stadium, featuring a philanthropic manner conception with Suárez and De Paul, preceded by a Padel Cup astatine the Cricket Club of India. The last halt is Delhi, wherever Messi is scheduled to conscionable Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Minerva Academy’s triple youth-trophy winners volition beryllium honoured, followed by a nine-a-side personage match.
